Review of Measures to Restrict Juveniles' Purchase of Offensive Weapons Online

11 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Home Affairs in light of the recent school incident allegedly involving an offensive weapon procured online (a) whether our current measures are sufficient to restrict juveniles' access to offensive weapons; and (b) over the last three years, what is the number of juveniles who are arrested for possession of offensive weapons.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Mr Desmond Tan) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Deputy Speaker, in the past three years, 131 persons under 18 years of age have been arrested for possession of offensive weapons.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) currently regulates six weapons under the Arms and Explosives Act (AEA) – sword, spear, spearhead, dagger, bayonet, and certain dangerous bows and arrows. Persons who handle these weapons are subject to certain safety conditions. For example, sellers must maintain transaction records of such items and owners of such items must store them securely.

In January 2021, MHA introduced the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act (GEWCA), which will replace the AEA when it comes into force in end 2021.

Under the GEWCA, the list of regulated weapons will be expanded and subject to greater controls. In determining which items to include, we have to find an appropriate balance, as almost any item can be used as a weapon, including those used in daily life like kitchen knives and choppers.

Highly dangerous items like guns and explosives must be tightly regulated as they can cause a lot of damage. For other mixed-use items like axes which have normal legitimate uses, we may want to impose some controls, but need to consider carefully exactly what, so that we do not over-regulate.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Mr Desmond Choo.

Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister of State for his clarification. I have three supplementary questions.

First, we clearly need to look at it from a demand and supply issue. To tighten the supply of these offensive weapons, what are the age verification checks required of online and brick-and-mortar retailers?

Second, are there any plans for these retailers to have to report suspicious transactions? It is not different from what MAS does for suspicious transactions.

Third, how would MHA be working with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to strengthen awareness of the dangers of offensive weapons and checks of offensive weapons in schools?

Mr Desmond Tan: I thank the Member for the supplementary question. First of all, the question about tightening the supply and imposing an age verification for controlled weapons or even mixed-use items like purchase of axes and knives, this is something we will constantly review to assess the appropriate level of controls we want to impose, especially for mixed-use items like axes and parangs that have legitimate uses. On the one hand, we do not want to over-regulate. As I mentioned earlier, even for nefarious purposes, actually, access to kitchen knives and choppers can become a form of weapon. So, we have to find the right balance.

We are currently considering requiring the e-commerce platforms, for example, as well as the brick-and-mortar retailers, to take reasonable steps to verify, do some age verification checks and ensure that those especially who are clearly underaged, do not have access to these items. We will share more details when we have them.

On the second question about reporting suspicious transactions, we all recognise that, first of all, already requiring age verification is something that we would consider doing and there are some practical challenges there. It is even harder, sometimes, for retailers, especially online retailers, to understand or to verify the intent and the purpose of the purchase of legitimate items that are used for legitimate reasons.

So, again, we will have to find the right balance and not to over-regulate, and to also be practical about this whole issue, while we understand the need to ensure that access to weapons is controlled especially for young children.

On the third question about what MHA and SPF are doing in support of MOE and the schools, we have been working with the schools and MOE to implement, for example, the SGSecure movement; there is a form of security protocols. SPF will continue to work with the schools and MOE to strengthen the awareness, the checks on, as well as the response protocol for some of these weapons incidents and checks in the schools.